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Third-base job in good hands with Arenado

Rockies want to see big second season

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado wants to become more a complete player this season. (Chris Carlson / AP)

MIAMI — — Look. Don't stare. The tattoo is subtle, obvious only when Nolan Arenado raises his hands over his head. There it is. Near his biceps. A blue anchor.

It represents who Arenado is as he enters his second major-league season and stands on the foul line tonight during team introductions on his first opening day.

"God keeps us anchored," Arenado said of the artwork with a biblical verse that also adorns the arms of his brothers, Cousy and Jonah. "He keeps us in place as a family. ... I believe in myself and know that I can do big things in this game if I work hard and stay grounded."

This trip to Marlins Park — the Rockies face reigning National League rookie of the year Jose Fernandez of Miami in their season opener — took an unique route. Arenado arrived at this moment a year later than expected, with a résumé he never dreamed of: breathtaking fielder, ordinary hitter.

"That's not him," said Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez. "There's more there. Just watch."

Last year, Arenado became the first NL rookie third baseman to win a Gold Glove. He did so with his daily Cirque du Soleil gymnastics. He threw while airborne, threw barehanded, threw off balance and threw from his seat.

"I was saying early in the season that he was the best at his position," said Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer. "I have never seen anything like that."

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This wasn't Arenado's blueprint. He was always a middle-of-the-lineup, hide-the-women-and-children kind of hitter. He figured he would be in the big leagues in September 2012 because of his bat, and was crushed when he wasn't called up. He followed that disappointment with a remarkable spring training in 2013, forcing a promotion April 28 with a .364 batting average in Triple-A.

Arenado's favorite player as a kid was Adrian Beltre, whom he saw plenty of in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium and sought out for advice this spring when the Rockies played the Texas Rangers in Arizona. Arenado never set out to inspire awe with only his glove.

"I want to be a complete player," Arenado said. "If I improve, it can help the team. That's what matters."

His dedication this spring to having a broader impact was obvious. He was taking the kind of cuts that keep chiropractors employed, batting .357 in the Cactus League with 11 extra-base hits in 56 at-bats. He credits Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki for helping him adapt his approach. Last season, he ranked among the league leaders in getting himself out on pitches outside the strike zone. He made too much contact, settling for a safe swing rather than one befitting his 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame.

"I see myself as a hitter first. My defense really outshone my hitting, but I didn't lose how to hit. I will find it," Arenado said. "I am starting to recognize pitches earlier. I got myself in trouble last year because I was out front a lot. Now, I have a better base. I am letting it go. And when I struck out in spring, I was OK with that because it's better than hitting a slow dribbler to second base because I can't run."

Arenado moves like a cat laterally at third base and like a catcher on the bases. He sees the dichotomy, particularly because he never sits still. He was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a teenager. He has learned to manage it through diet and routine — not medication, which caused him to lose his appetite.

"He was only on it for a short time in high school, for a semester. He wasn't the child that God blessed us with," Arenado's father, Fernando, said Sunday. "He took control of it."

The energy helps Arenado march through a big-league season — he led the Rockies last year with 133 games played, and wants to play 150 this season — but only if done correctly.

"I can get tired from it," Arenado said. "I am a guy who likes to hit. But I would swing so much that when I get into the game, the bat would feel heavy. CarGo talked to me about the importance of doing just enough to be ready for the game. I am always going to still be bouncing around. I know how to focus and relax leading up to the first pitch."

It's part of his evolution. Arenado has been on the track to this season opener since he was 8 years old. Fifty to 60 Cuban and Puerto Rican relatives will be at Marlins Park cheering him Monday. Arenado traveled the country with Fernando and mother Millie as a star shortstop. At El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif., he teamed with the New York Yankees' Austin Romine, first realizing pro ball was possible while watching Romine attract scouts.

"I would point out to Nolan how hard Austin worked. I told him that is what it was going to take," said Fernando, whose youngest son, Jonah, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 16th round last June. "He made up his mind, and eventually I would have to tell him to take it easy. Nolan is so driven."

Arenado now is a Rockies anchor, with the face of man, not the 18-year-old boy who showed his competitive zeal while playing video games at Camp Tulo in Las Vegas. He is what the Rockies are and hope they can be: talented, poised for a breakthrough season.

"I fully expect Nolan to take the next step forward," said manager Walt Weiss. "I have said it before. He is going to make multiple All-Star teams. He is that good."

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